Topic: Let's say I have $1500....

[Nick Graham]

and I've already got a Toshiba 4960 and nothing else. What should I buy? I'm in the process of buying my first home (yeah!), and will have a dedicated listening room. Right now I own a fairly crappy $200 "home theater in a box" deal that will probably go in my bedroom.

Receiver? Amp? Speakers? DAC?

Interested to see what recommendations I get.

Oh yeah, and if anybody wants to throw in suggestions on a stand/rack to hold everything, that'd be great too.

[twoodruff]

whats the size of the listening room? will it just be for audio or video too? I am in love with my von schensteinhertzschmidt vr-1s and they are plenty for the area I am listening in. Couple those with an integrated tube amp and your are good to go.

[Nick Graham]

I'll have to look at the specs to give you exact square footage, but it's somwhere between the size of a normal bedroom and living room. Maybe 15'x12'?

It'll be just for audio. I'm not a huge movie/DVD buff, so the big screen TV/DVD player will be in the living room.

[BC]

I would go $1000-1200 on speakers and the rest on a receiver/preamp.

[twoodruff]

if larger room go b&w cdm7se (can be had used for $700-$900), my favorite speaker that I have owned thus far

[Daryan]

Here are some speaker reccomendations:

Check audiogon for details:

Onix Ref  1's, truly the best you are going to do with this budget IMHO
Rocket rs750 signatures
Usher Audio floorstanders, whatever's in your price range
odyssey loreli's (sp)

Again, I am going to reiterate, if you are going this direction, get the 4960 modded, you will hear the differnce with any of the above. 

Amp wise, jvc frx-10, panasonic XR series, the new jvc hybrids, some of the newer icepower amps can be had around there if you want two channel, and I guess the sony everyone fluffs here though I haven't heard one and have heard they are a little briottle in the high end, but again, I haven't heard one.  Digital dvd with digital amp will be your best bet.  Search for any of these on audiocircle, lots of thread without the nonsense that is audioasylum. 

These are your best bang for the buck speakers.  I would put the ref1's up against just about anything, well, except the vmps audio stuff, but I think that's slightly out of your price range.

Regards

D

[Daryan]

5 more -t's to go, woohoo!

Anyway, thought I would play find the speakers for you on audiogon while I had a free minute.  Here goes:

http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?spkrmoni&1115912823
http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?spkrmoni&1117653708
http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?spkrfull&1116201262
http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?spkrmoni&1114922992
http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?spkrmoni&1117744231
http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?spkrfull&1117490816
http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?spkrfull&1115409789
http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?spkrmoni&1116347312
http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?ddspkrfull&1114626838

Have fun!

[L Ron Hoover]

If you have a Sony outlet near you, go and see if they've got an STR DA2000/3000ES. I got my 3000 for just over 500 with tax. You should be able to get a decent pair of speakers for 1K.

[Lil Kim Jong-Il]

Just to toss out another perspective:  I know you said that you aren't using this for video, but what about 5.1 or 7.1 surround audio?

If you think that you are interested in doing multichannel at some point, I would recommend that you audition speakers with that in mind and if you buy monitors get them in a line that you will want to get for the mains.   That way you put off the big mains purchase for a while and the monitors you get now can be your 5.1 rears later.

I have not heard the VR-1s but I have a pair of speakers from that line and I love them.  I think a used pair of VR1s (less than $700) and an integrated like the jolida 1501RC (one for $475 right now on agon) would give you a very satisfying 2-channel system and leave enough money for good cables.

Infact, if you buy that Jolida for $475 and don't like it after a couple of months, I'd take it off your hands for what you paid.   I have been wanting one for my office but I just bought some other crap so it has to wait.

[pfife]

maggies are cheap... leaves $ for amp... I've really been loving my ASL integrated...

[jdh263]

two words: harmon Kardon
amazing sound quality
i don't know what you could get for $1500, but i assure you it will sound amazing

[mhibbs]

both the cd player and receiver i own from harman kardon broke down.  the cd player completely blew up and was replaced...now the drive motor is shot.  the video circuit on the receiver burned out.  i've since trashed the cd player and i use the receiver to power my computer monitors.  won't be buying any more of their shit ever.  and their sound quality is easily beat by other manufacturers...especially Denon.

[1st set only]

both the cd player and receiver i own from harman kardon broke down.  the cd player completely blew up and was replaced...now the drive motor is shot.  the video circuit on the receiver burned out.  i've since trashed the cd player and i use the receiver to power my computer monitors.  won't be buying any more of their shit ever.  and their sound quality is easily beat by other manufacturers...especially Denon.

from what i have heard Harmon cardon USED to be a great company

[Nick's Picks]

$1500 for a screamer system in a 12x15 foot room.

speakers:  Monitors.  Von Schweikert VR1 is pretty awesome.  As are some Paradigm models, Epos, NHT ...there are some others that are very well recieved.  See if you can get last months Stereophile as it has an updated recomended componants list.

amp: lets suppose you spend $7-800 on speakers., leaving you w/around the same.
you could go the Sony route.  Not a bad option.
You could get a tube integrated for that kind of dough.  I'm sure that wouldnt' suck either, and your Toshiba probably passes a pretty good analog signal.

though the two would sound very different, you'd have a VERY hard time finding something that would rival the Sonys for image/detail/soundstage for this kind of money.
OTOH, the Sony wouldn't sound as lush or convey emotion like a nice tube amp does.
it all depends on what you like best in your reproduction.  me, i'm more into the things that the Sony does well.

fwiw...I can sell brand new VR1s for about $800, maybe a little less.  shipped.  They go for $600+ used when you can find them

[L Ron Hoover]

How much can you sell the VR11's for Nick?
Those things must be amazing.

[Nick's Picks]

How much can you sell the VR11's for Nick?
Those things must be amazing.

A LOT !!